San Francisco Schools - Are they really free?
C.W. Nevius has been writing thoughtful columns on sports for the San Francisco Chronicle for many years. Recently, he published a controversial column on San Francisco public schools. In a nutshell, the majority of kids in S.F. public schools are black. Although many in the community give lip service to supporting public schools, a Principal from Starr King Elementary, Chris Rosenberg, said, “Many people don’t feel comfortable sending their kids to school with a lot of African Americans.”
The fact remains that when Californians had the opportunity to support public education, the majority voted against it in the form of Proposition 13, a statewide proposition that froze the percentage of property taxes. Now, in one of the 10 richest states in the country, public schools are in shambles. School district superintendent Carlos Garcia is organizing a task force to look at the problem. “My question to everyone…is if we left all those things in the 60’s, how have our schools become more segregated than ever?”
Nevius poses the question, “After all, what’s the real advantage of keeping schools racially diverse?” He finds his answer with a teacher who was responsible for teaching a mix of African American, Latino and Asian kids. “The classes were not only mixed but the students interacted well.” In other words, give kids the chance to experience diversity and there’s more hope they will grow into adults who can accept differences. Which all leads to healthier work environments, and a level playing field.
